Wall-panel bases and panel supports



Jan. 17, 1961 J. A. BOHNSACK 2,968,374

WALLPANEL BASES AND PANEL SUPPORTS Filed July 5, 1957 FIGQIV Flt-5.2

ATTORNEYS United States Patent i WALL-PANEL BASES AND PANEL SUPPORTSJohn A. Bohnsack, Pottsville, Pa., assignor to Aetna Steel ProductsCorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 5,1957, Ser. No. 670,230

10 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) This invention relates to panel bases andsupports for partition walls.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a wall panelbase with panel supports which can be positioned correctly and centeredat meeting ends of adjacent wall panels at any point along the length ofthe base after the base channel is secured to the floor.

Another object of the invention is generally to provide a wall panelsupport of improved construction with special reference to facilitatinginstallation of the base and supports for the panels at points spacedfrom each other longitudinally of each other. e The above and otherobjects, features and advantages of this invention will be fullyunderstood from the following description considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings which are illustrative of the presently pre:ferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. lis a front view of part of a partition wall including a panel baseprovided with panel supports embodying the present invention; I

'Fig. 2 is a horizontal view, on a larger scale, on the line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on a larger scale, on the line 33of Fig. 2 and showing the panel support member partly in section forillustrative purposes;

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view, on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, with partsremoved for illustrative purposes;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the parts of the base for thepanels;

Fig. 6 is a side view of part of the panel base and lower portions ofadjacent panel assemblies, the side plate of the base being removed andparts being broken away for illustrative purposes;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, on a larger scale, on the line77 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a shim member provided in the panelbase.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, Fig. 1 shows part of aremovable and demountable wall partition 10 which includes a pluralityof panel assemblies 12 mounted in side by side relation on the floor orwall panel base 14 and extending between said base and through a droppedceiling 16, as shown, for example in my United States application SerialNo. 602,793, filed August 8, 1956, assigned to the assignee of thepresent application. The panel assemblies 12 are each formed of thelaterally spaced sheet steel panel members 18 terminating at each oftheir opposite ends in inner portions 20 which are secured to each otherin any suitable way, preferably by spot welding the flanges 21 of saidportions 20 to each other. Vertically extending panel aligning studs 22are disposed at the joints between the meeting ends of adjacent panelassemblies 12, said panel aligning studs 22 being preferably of thecross sectional configuration illustrated in Fig. 2. The panelassemblies 12 may be closed at the top and at the bottom and may befilled with any suitable sound-deadening material; for example, as der2,968,374 lee Patented Jan. 1951 scribed in my said application, SerialNo. 602,793. It will be understood that the panels are prefabricated andtransported as units to the place at which they are to be assembled inthe wall.

In constructing the wall, the base is laid down and the panels areplaced in position progressively on the base, being supported by thepanel support members 24 hereinafter more particularly described, eachpanel assembly being supported by two panel support members, one at eachend of the panel assembly. The vertical aligning stud 22 is inserted inthe recess in the end of one panel assembly before the next panelassembly is mounted on the base. The aligning stud has a close slidablefit with the opposite side walls of the recess and is supported on apanel support member 24 as hereinafter described. The aligning stud 22positioned in the recess of one panel assembly projects outwardlytherefrom and extends into the end recess of the next panel assemblywhen the latter is placed in position, as illustrated by Fig. 2. Thealigning studs 22 are preferably of the specific construction shown anddescribed in my United Statesapplication Serial No. 669,981, filedconcurrently herewith and assigned to the assignee of this application.

The lower ends of panel assemblies 12 are supported by the panel supportmembers 24, which are secured in the longitudinally extending basechannel member 26 of the floor base at points spaced longitudinallythereof as hereinafter more particularly described. Said panel supportmembers also support the aligning studs 22. At the lower end of eachaligning stud 22, there is a reinforcing member 28 (Figs. 3 and 6) whichis spot welded to said lower end of the stud 22. Said reinforcing member28 has a lower part 30 which extends downwardly into the panel supportmember 24 and fits closely between the opposite sides 32 of said panelsupport member, and in slidable engagement with the internal surfacesthereof. Also, slots 34 are provided in reinforcing member 28, asindicated at Fig. 3, so that lower end portions 36 thereof engage sides32 of panel support member 24 at the outer surfaces thereof. By reasonof this engagement of reinforcing members 28 of the aligning studs 22with the panel support member 24, the panel assembliesl2 are securely,although removably, anchored to the floor base and the latter is, inturn, held against rocking about a longitudinal axis on the floor, whichmight otherwise occur if the floor is uneven. Base closure plates 35 arereleasably attached to the sides 37 of the base channel member 26 andoverlap the lower end portion of the panel assemblies 12 in engagementtherewith. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, each base closure plate isconstituted by a longitudinally extending plate which is inwardly turnedat the upper edge thereof, as at 39, and at the lower edge thereof isinwardly turned and then downwardly looped, as at 41, to define a clipfor receiving the upper part of the sides 37 of base channel member 26.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provisionof means for securing each panel support member 24 in position correctlycentered at the meeting ends of adjacent wall panel assemblies, so thatthe base channel member 26 can be secured tothe building floor,indicated more or less schematically at F, along the line of thepartition wall to be constructed without requiring that the panelsupport members be first positioned therein in accurate centeredrelation with respect to the meeting ends of the panel assemblies. Inother words, pursuant to the present invention the base channel member26 can be laid down and secured to the floor by the anchoring pins 27along the line of the partition wall, and thereafter the panel supportmembers 24 can be assembled with the base channel member 26 and adjustedlongitudinally thereof in accordance with the points at which themeeting ends of adjacent panel assemblies are to be 10- cated. For thispurpose, the base channel member 26 is provided with the longitudinallyextending inner recesses 38 adjacent the bottom 40 of said channelmember, and base plates 42 are disposed on the bottom of base channelmember 26 and removably engage the latter in recesses 38, respectively,as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, there being a base plate 42 foreach panel support member 24. Base plate 42 is provided with theopposite curved portions 44 and the opposite intermediate portions 46,which engage the base channel member 26 in said recesses 38. It will bereadily understood by reference to Fig. 4 that when base plate 42 isturned in a countercloc. wise direction in its own plane, edge portions46 disengage said base channel member, and conversely, when it isdesired to assemble a base plate with base channel member 26, the baseplate is positioned on the bottom as of said base channel member andthereafter, by turning the base plate clockwise in its own plane, edgeportions 46 are engaged in the recesses 38 of the base channel memberfor holding the latter in the desired position. It is not essential thatthe edge portions 46 of base plate 42 tightly engage the base channelmember in said recesses and it is therefore possible and practical tomove the base plates d2 longitudinally of the base channel member 26,for fine adjustments of the position of said base plate while the latteris engaged in the recesses 38 of the base channel member. One or moreshims 48 are disposed on the base plate 42, as illustrated in Fig. 3,between the confronting inner sides of the base channel member 26, andthe shim is provided with small projections 59 on its lower side whichengage openings 52 in the base plate so as to prevent the base platefrom turning in a counterclockwise direction. Each shim is also providedwith projections 54 which engage in corresponding recesses in theadjacent overlying shim and also in similar recesses 56 in the bottom 58of the panel support member 24. As the opposite side edges of the shimsare close to the adjacent sides of the base channel member 26, the shimsare prevented from turning and thus provide means for preventing turningof the base plate 42 and the panel support member 24. A screw threadedstud 69 having a lower headed portion 62 is secured to base plate 42 andprojects upwardly through an opening 64 therein and through a centralopening 66 in each shim and through a central opening 68 in the bottom58 of panel support member 24. A nut 70 serves to hold the panel supportmember 24- releasably against the underlying shim or shims and in secureassembled relation with the base plate 42. It will be understood thatthe number of shims at any particular panel support member along thelength of the base channel member 26 will depend upon the level of thepart of the base channel member at the particular location of said panelsupport member, and in this connection it will be understood that therequired number of shims will be provided so that the lower ends of allwall panel assemblies 12 are at the same level with regard to ahorizontal plane. In any event, however, at least one shim is interposedbetween the base plate 42 and the companion panel support member 24 toprovide means for preventing turning of said base plate and panelsupport member.

The upper ends of sides 32 of the panel support member 24 are providedwith recesses 72 defined at their opposite ends by the inclined edgeportions 74 which have a cam-like action in directing the lower meetingends .of the adjacent panel assemblies toward each other when the latterare lowered onto the panel support members.

The outer longitudinally extending recesses 76 at the bottom of basechannel member 26 provide means to receive the marginal edge portions ofa floor covering indicated at C in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that as shown in Fig. 3, the lower side portions ofbase channel member 26 are inclined inwardly to provide the recesses 38and that the raised upper portions 78 are inclined downwardly over the4. recesses 76 to provide a line-like engagement with the floorcovering.

Certain features shown or described but not claimed herein are claimedin the above mentioned prior application or in the above mentionedapplication Serial No. 669,981, filed by me concurrently herewith andassigned to the assignee of the present application.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in thepresent invention Without departing from the underlying idea orprinciples of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. Support means for a partition Wall, comprising a longitudinal channelmember having a bottom and opposite sides and provided withlongitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides,respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base platemounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasablyengaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recessesby turning of the base plate in its own plane, a removable panel supportmember on said base plate, and interengaging means between said baseplate and said panel support member securing the panel support member inposition on the channel member.

2. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinal channelmember having a bottom and opposite sides and provided withlongitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides,respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base platemounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasablyengaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recessesby turning of the base plate in its own plane, a removable panel supportmember on said base plate, and interengaging means between said baseplate and said panel support member securing the panel support member inposition on the channel member, and means adjustably supporting saidpanel support member in a predetermined position in vertical relation tothe bottom of said channel member.

3. Support means for a partition Wall, comprising a longitudinal channelmember having a bottom and opposite sides and provided withlongitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides,respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base platemounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasablyengaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recessesby turning of the baseplate in its own plane, a removable panel supportmember on said base plate, and shim means disposed between said baseplate and the bottom of said panel support member adjustably supportingsaid panel support member in a predetermined position in verticalrelation to the bottom of saidchannel member, said shim means engagingsaid base plate and being engageable with the sides of said channelmember to prevent the turning of the latter in its own plane.

4. Support means for a partition wall comprised of adjacent wall panelassemblies, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom andopposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recessesat said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channelmember, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel memberand releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable fromsaid recesses by turning of the baseplate in its own plane, and meansmounted on said base plate for supporting the ends of the adjacent wallpanelassemblies.

5. Support means for panel.assemblies, comprising a longitudinal channelmember having a bottomand opposite sides and provided withlongitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides,respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base platemounted adjacent thebottom of. said, channelmember and releasablyengaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recessesby turning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate havingcurved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turnedin one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions whichenter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the oppositedirection, and means mounted on said base plate for supporting the endsof adjacent wall panel assemblies.

6. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinal channelmember having a bottom and opposite sides and provided withlongitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides,respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base platemounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasablyengaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recessesby turning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate havingcurved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turnedin one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions whichenter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the oppositedirection, a removable panel support member on said base plate, andinterengaging means between said base plate and said panel supportmember securing the panel support member in position on the channelmember.

7. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinal channelmember having a bottom and opposite sides and provided withlongitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides,respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base platemounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasablyengaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recess byturning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate havingcurved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turnedin one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions whichenter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the oppositedirection, a removable panel support member on said base plate, andinterengaging means between said base plate and said panel supportmember securing the panel support member in position on the channelmember, and means adjustably supporting said panel support member in apredetermined position in vertical relation to the bottom of saidchannel member.

8. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinal channelmember having a bottom and opposite sides and provided withlongitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides,respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base platemounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasablyengaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recessesby turning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate havingcurved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turnedin one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions whichenter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the oppositedirection, a removable panel support member on said base plate,interengaging means between said base plate and said panel supportmember securing the panel support member in position on the channelmember, and shim means disposed between said base plate and said panelsupport member and interengaged therewith preventing said base plate andsaid panel support member from turning about a vertical axis andsupporting said panel support member in a predetermined verticalposition in relation to the bottom of said channel member.

9. Support means for a partition Wall, comprising a longitudinal channelmember having a bottom and opposite sides and provided withlongitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides,respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base platemounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasablyengaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recessesby turning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate havingcurved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turnedin one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions whichenter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the oppositedirection, a removable panel support member on said base plate,interengaging means between said base plate and said panel supportmember securing the panel support member in position on the channelmember, shim means disposed between said base plate and said panelsupport member and inter engaged therewith preventing said base plateand said panel support member from turning about a vertical axis andsupporting said panel support member in a predetermined verticalposition in relation to the bottom of said channel member, and meansengaged with said base plate and said panel support member for holdingthe latter in said shimmed position thereof.

10. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinalchannel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided withlongitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides,respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base platemounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasablyengaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recessesby turning of the base plate in its own plane, a removable panel supportmember on said base plate, shim means disposed between said base plateand the bottom of said panel support member adjustably supporting saidpanel support member in a predetermined position in vertical relation tothe bottom of said channel member, said shim means engaging said baseplate and being engageable with the sides of said channel member toprevent the turning of the latter in its own plane, and interengagingmeans between said base plate and said panel support member securing thepanel support member in position on the channel member, saidinterengaging means comprising interfitting projections and recessesformed in said base plate, shim means and panel support member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,922,694 Hansen Aug. 15, 1933 2,020,502 Goddard Nov. 12, 1935 2,669,862Miller Feb. 23, 1954 2,682,087 Siering June 29, 1954 2,761,142 SorensonSept. 4, 1956 2,808,624 Sullivan Oct. 8, 1957 2,832,101 Stark Apr. 29,1958

